A few ways to know if you're doing an exercise correctly

imagymrat

A few easy ways to tell whether you're doing an exercise the right way. Are you feeling it in the right place? Does the exercise in question result in fatigue to the targeted muscle groups, or is the effort coming from somewhere else? Experiencing, say, neck pain during a set of crunches is a good indication your form is off. Can you control the weight? Relying on momentum to complete repetitions increases your risk of injury. Bouncing the barbell off your chest during a bench press is a prime example. You should be able to pause for a second or two in the most difficult position. For a bench press, pause when the bar is a few inches above your chest before pushing it back up. Are you using the full range of motion? Never sacrifice proper form for the sake of moving more weight. Doing an exercise properly means controlling the weight through the entire range of motion. Doing half reps on squats, for example, doesn't impress anyone; it simply means the weight is too heavy. Instead, lighten the load, and lower your body until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor. Then return to a standing position.

misspenny762

Great post and an excellent reminder, thank you :]

Mindful_Trent

Thanks for this reminder!

imagymrat

I had to post this. There was a teenage boy trying to impress a few girls in the gym this morning. He thought it would be a great idea to show him how much he can press on the bench. He loaded up the bar, already 45lbs with 3 45-lb plates a side, no warm up. He was maybe 140lbs himself. He pressed the weight 2x's both times the bar came down maybe 2 inches before he had to press it up again :laugh: , the girls were amazed he could lift it off the bar...silly girls . then the inevitable happened, on the third lift, he couldn't maintain the bar, it dropped onto his chest, he screamed, began to roll the bar down his body, hitting the groin....he screamed again :laugh: , then the bar skinned his shins and hit the floor. He didn't move for a solid 5 minutes, i'm assuming the groin pain did him in :laugh: . Lesson learned? probably not. And just so you know, I did go over and try to help him...he told me to pretty much take a hike and not so nicely!! :devil: ...so there you have it, the end result...this post! lol

misspenny762

I had to post this. There was a teenage boy trying to impress a few girls in the gym this morning. He thought it would be a great idea to show him how much he can press on the bench. He loaded up the bar, already 45lbs with 3 45-lb plates a side, no warm up. He was maybe 140lbs himself. He pressed the weight 2x's both times the bar came down maybe 2 inches before he had to press it up again :laugh: , the girls were amazed he could lift it off the bar...silly girls . then the inevitable happened, on the third lift, he couldn't maintain the bar, it dropped onto his chest, he screamed, began to roll the bar down his body, hitting the groin....he screamed again :laugh: , then the bar skinned his shins and hit the floor. He didn't move for a solid 5 minutes, i'm assuming the groin pain did him in :laugh: . Lesson learned? probably not. And just so you know, I did go over and try to help him...he told me to pretty much take a hike and not so nicely!! :devil: ...so there you have it, the end result...this post! lol

Bahahahahahah

arewethereyet

I love to see the girls who are doing their boyfriends work out routine!! Holy goodness, HE wants big pecks and square waist.....

One girl is so out of proportion I had to watch what she did. She did tit for tat what BF did. My trainer was explaining what she was doing wrong and said she wanted to talk to her so badly..........but she seemed to be happy with what she was doing.

The other thing is watching someone over extend I can almost hear their muscles riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiip.

Funny story.

I was on the adductor when I first started out. I had done my routine, and this was my last machine. Oh I was so proud I could do so many reps......there was a girl in front of me who obviously knew what she was doing........she put her hand up STOP.......she said it seems like your doing OK, but they are small muscles and I won't be able to walk in the morning (I laughed inside but listened) she took me over and did some stretches with me and said to soak in epsoms salts.

I told the story 2 or 3 times that day LOL that I was in NO pain at all. UNTIL the next morning, could NOT lift my legs. The entire inside was on fire and man...............bathrooM? impossible!!

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

imagymrat

I love to see the girls who are doing their boyfriends work out routine!! Holy goodness, HE wants big pecks and square waist.....

One girl is so out of proportion I had to watch what she did. She did tit for tat what BF did. My trainer was explaining what she was doing wrong and said she wanted to talk to her so badly..........but she seemed to be happy with what she was doing.

The other thing is watching someone over extend I can almost hear their muscles riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiip.

Funny story.

I was on the adductor when I first started out. I had done my routine, and this was my last machine. Oh I was so proud I could do so many reps......there was a girl in front of me who obviously knew what she was doing........she put her hand up STOP.......she said it seems like your doing OK, but they are small muscles and I won't be able to walk in the morning (I laughed inside but listened) she took me over and did some stretches with me and said to soak in epsoms salts.

I told the story 2 or 3 times that day LOL that I was in NO pain at all. UNTIL the next morning, could NOT lift my legs. The entire inside was on fire and man...............bathrooM? impossible!!

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

In my early days, just starting out...I did the same thing!! :blushing: that's some serious pain! :sad: